Originally published in 2012, this review of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 is kept for historical reference. The GTX 680 is now outdated for modern gaming. For current recommendations, see our others review.
GeForce GTX 680 – Overview
The GeForce GTX 680 launched in March 2012 and introduced NVIDIA’s Kepler architecture. It was the company’s flagship card of that generation, designed to compete with AMD’s Radeon HD 7970. At the time, it set new standards for performance, efficiency, and gaming at 1080p and 1440p.
Design & Features
- Built on the 28nm Kepler GK104 GPU.
- Shipped with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM on a 256-bit memory bus.
- Base clock around 1006 MHz with GPU Boost.
- PCIe 3.0 support (cutting-edge in 2012).
- Reference cooler design featured NVIDIA’s sleek silver shroud and blower fan.
Specifications (Highlights)
- Architecture: Kepler (GK104)
- CUDA Cores: 1536
- VRAM: 2GB GDDR5
- Base Clock: ~1006 MHz
- Memory Bandwidth: 192 GB/s
- TDP: 195W (required 2x 6-pin connectors)
Gaming Performance (2012)
When it launched, the GTX 680 was the fastest single-GPU card on the market:
- Outperformed the Radeon HD 7970 in many benchmarks.
- Delivered smooth performance in games like Battlefield 3, Skyrim, and Crysis 2 at 1080p Ultra settings.
- Could handle 1440p gaming, though VRAM limited performance in the heaviest titles.
- Offered impressive overclocking potential.
Relevance in 2025
- The GTX 680 is no longer practical for modern AAA games.
- VRAM and driver limitations prevent it from running many new titles.
- Still usable for retro gaming and older eSports titles.
- Modern equivalents: RTX 3050, RTX 4060, AMD RX 7600 offer similar performance positioning with modern features.
Legacy & Importance
The GTX 680 was a game-changer in 2012, setting the tone for efficient, high-performance GPUs. It showed the power of the Kepler architecture and established NVIDIA’s dominance for years to come. For enthusiasts at the time, it was the dream card — fast, efficient, and future-ready.
H2: FAQs
Q: Is the GTX 680 still good in 2025?
A: No, it’s outdated for modern AAA gaming. It’s only usable for retro or older eSports titles.
Q: What was the GTX 680’s competitor at launch?
A: AMD’s Radeon HD 7970.
Q: What’s the modern replacement for the GTX 680?
A: Cards like the RTX 3050 or RTX 4060 serve the same performance-mainstream market.
